The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in collaboration with the World Customs Organization (WCO), has launched a workshop on fender diversity to strengthen workforce inclusivity.
The event, which commenced October 28, is aimed to create a work environment where every officer is empowered to thrive, regardless of gender.
Addressing attendees, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs for Tariff and Trade, DCG Caroline Niagwan, said the workshop’s importance in fostering a workplace that offers every Customs officer equal opportunities for growth and success.
Niagwan was represented by the NCS’s National Contact Point, Chief Superintendent of Customs Zara Musa.
According to Musa, the workshop will pave the way for officers to contribute fully to the Service’s success, regardless of gender.
The National Contact Point stated, “These initiatives form a series of efforts under CGC Adeniyi’s tenure aimed at advancing gender equality across the Service, promoting a culture where diverse perspectives contribute to enhanced Customs operations.”
Jennifer Goistene Burs, a resource person with the WCO from Botswana, addressed participants, highlighting the strategic impact of gender inclusivity on service delivery.
“We are committed to supporting the Nigeria Customs Service in finalising the draft action plan on Gender Equality and Diversity (GED), which was developed following the sub-regional workshop organised in April,” she said.
Burs noted that the implementation of this action plan would be instrumental in embedding diversity within the Service’s operations.
Additional experts included Sendra Chihaka from Zimbabwe and Johanna Tornstrom, both of whom contributed insights on strategies for fostering a workplace culture that values and supports the contributions of all officers.
The recent edition followed a previous capacity-building session hosted by the NCS in April 2024 on gender inclusivity in Abuja.
Customs, WCO Launch Gender Diversity Workshop To Strengthen Inclusivity is first published on The Whistler Newspaper